Sewing system for producing alternate stitches on both sides of a material



p 21, 1965 J. CASTANY FERRE 3,207,107

SEWING SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING ALTERNATE STITCHES ON BOTH SIDES OF AMATERIAL Filed Nov. 27, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG I FIG 2 FIG 3 JoseCasfany Ferre' INVENTOR ATTORNEYS p 21, 1965 J. CASTANY FERRE 3, 7, 07

SEWING SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING ALTERNATE STITGHES ON BOTH SIDES OF AMATERIAL Filed NOV. 27, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 m 22 25 I FIG l0 4VI/JVIIIIIIIII m VII/J. 30

24 Jose Casio/1y Ferre' INVENTOR ATTOR N EYS p 1965 J. CASTANY FERRE3,207,107

SEWING SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING ALTERNATE STITCHES ON BOTH SIDES OF AMATERIAL Filed Nov. 27, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG I4 FIG I5 FIG IG JoseCasfany Ferre' INVENTOR BY WWMM ATTORNEYS p 21, 1965 J. CASTANY FERRE07, 07

SEWING SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING ALTERNATE STITCHES ON BOTH SIDES OF AMATERIAL Filed Nov. 27, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jose Casfany Ferre'INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,207,107 SEWING SYSTEM FORPRODUCING ALTERNATE STITCHES ON BOTH SIDES OF A MATERIAL Jose CastanyFerr, Calle Borrell 122, Barcelona, Spain Filed Nov. 27, 1963, Ser. No.326,599 Claims priority, application Spain, Sept. 23, 1959, 252,575;Sept. 26, 1959, 76,226 3 Claims. (Cl. 112-170) This application is acontinuation-in-part of my copending application entitled Sewing Systemfor Producing Alternate Stitches on Both Sides, filed September 14,1960, under Serial No. 55,931, and now abandoned.

The present invention refers to a new method of sewing certain kinds ofseams by machine, especially the kind of alternate stitches on bothsides of the material which has preferably been done by hand.

The stitching on lapels and edges on tailored garments has to be done byhand, as the stitches pass alternately from one side to the other sideof the garment, forming spaced stitches and using only one thread. Thisoperation cannot be carried out ,with current sewing machines whichalways use two threads, one for each side of the material, therebyproducing successive and continuous stitches, and alternate stitches onboth sides cannot be produced.

The object of the present invention is to provide by means of aconveniently adapted sewing machine and a needle with specialcharacteristics, the above mentioned distribution of stitching, eitheron lapels or for any other application so that with only one threadthere is obtained alternate stitches on the right and wrong siderespectively of the material.

The above object is attained on a sewing machine by using pieces ofthread cut to a certain length for combination with a special needlethat can be threaded or unthreaded at every stitch by means of amechanism comprising movable pincers having two jaws with forked ends toclamp the needle thread temporarily during the unthreading andsubsequent threading of the needle.

The present description does not include details of the construction ofthe mechanism that puts each accessory organ into action, as thismechanism may adopt different dispositions and work in accordance withthe usual techniques.

A further object of the invention is to provide a needle having a sharppoint, formed by two shafts or longitudinal bodies, juxtaposed, one ofwhich has a lateral open eye that can be closed by moving the othershaft. To this effect, the body or shaft of the needle is dividedlongitudinally into two parts possessing a relative sliding movementwith respect to each other, one of the parts constituting a seam 1 fsemicircular or any other adequate sec tion, integral with the point,and the other part being of a similar disposition and integral with aprotruding tongue that covers and uncovers the eye of the needle. Bothparts are lodged in a common sleeve, and the upper extremes of theseparts are provided with means for their connection to the motion membersin order to produce the elevation of the needle or the relative slidingof the tongue.

As indicated above, one thread only is used for sewing, which is formedby separate threads previously cut to a determined length. Supposing theneedle is threaded and placed at the top of the machine table, theworking mechanisms of which are disposed in such a manner as to stickthe needle into the material drawing the thread twofold, the movabletongue of the eye opens, the needle becomes unthreaded retreatingthreadless to the top of the material leaving a loop of threadunderneath, which is grasped and straightened by means of a movablehook, so that the loose end is drawn out, leaving only one threadpierced 3,207,107 Patented Sept. 21, 1965 through the material. Next thematerial moves forward and the empty needle again pierces the materialat a convenient distance from the former stitch and when the needle eyehas passed through to the wrong side, this eye opens again bydisplacement of the closing tongue and becomes threaded with the looseend underneath, the needle then retreats thus forming the stitch on thewrong side of the material, after which the material again moves on tothe space relative to the next stitch, and the cycle is repeated.

The fundamental workings of these operations and the disposition adoptedfor the needle, as well as the function of the other organs causing thethreading and unthreading of the needle, will be better understood fromthe description and the drawings showing a preferable form of executionin which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic side view of a needle with the eye closed.

FIGURE 2 is a schematic View of the needle from the front with the eyeopen.

FIGURE 3 is a similar view from the side with the eye open.

FIGURE 4 illustrates schematically the position assumed by variouselements when the needle is ready to pierce the material.

FIGURES 5 to 13 inclusive are views similar to FIG- URE 4 illustratingthe successive movements of the elements in order to produce a stitch atthe top side and another stitch at the bottom side of the material inorder to form alternate stitches which are conveniently spaced.

FIGURES 14, 15 and 16 are schematic views illustrating particularly theoperation of the clamp which cooperates with the needle, and

FIGURE 17 is a diagrammatic view showing the means for operating thevarious instrumentalities.

As shown by FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, the needle is fundamentally formed by astem or shaft 10 ending in a sharp point 11 provided with an eye 12opened at one of its lateral walls 13. This opening is closed by meansof a sliding tongue 14 upon another shaft 15 juxtaposed to shaft 10 andboth may be displaced with respect t each other.

Shafts 10 and 15 move relative to one another within an outer sleeve 15'serving as hearing and guide. At their tops the shafts are provided witha device, such as ears 16 and 17 for fixing to the organs of the machinethat produce their respective movements.

FIGURES 4 to 13 show the different phases of the stitch. The table boardof the machine is 20 with a mouth 21 and the material 22 to be sewn isheld by pressure foot 23. The sewing thread 24 presenting a loose endunderneath the table already has produced a stitch 25 on top and anotherstitch 26 at the bottom. The pincers or clamps 27 and 28 are in theshape of a pitchfork, for the purpose of holding the thread as describedbelow.

FIGURE 4 shows the position of the elements when needle 11 is ready toagain pierce the material after having produced an underneath stitch 26and the material has been moved forward.

FIGURE 5 shows the needle after piercing the material to a maximuminferior position drawing two threads. Next, the needle partiallyretreats to an intermediate height, by which action the thread loosens,forming two lateral loops 29 (FIGURE 6). Next, the upper and lower forks27 and 28 advance with fork 27 introducing itself into the loops, whilethe fork 28 passes underneath the thread thereby joining and formingpincers or a clamp which holds the thread on both sides of the needle asshown in FIGURE 7.

In this position the mechanism that displaces the tongue 14 isactivated, leaving the eye of the needle open, as

shown in FIGURE 7. Following which, the pincers that hold the thread,still closed, are moved (FIGURE 8) withdrawing the thread from the eye,thus unthreading the needle which retreatsupwardly, at the same timeclosing the tongue 14 (FIGURE 9).

After this operation, the lateral hook 30 enters into action, and whilethe thread is still held by the pincers, the hook is introduced into theloop, into the part corresponding to the loose end, pulling the threadas represented in FIGURE 9, drawing it through the material and leavingonly one thread which forms the upper stitch 31.

Next, the material advances a space corresponding to the next stitch(FIGURE 10) and the unthreaded needle again pierces, the tongue opens,the needle eye resting at the same level as the portion of thread heldby the pincers (FIGURE 11) which retreat introducing the thread into theeye after which the pincers unclasp, dropping the thread while thetongue closes, leaving the needle threaded once again (FIGURE 12). Theneedle retreats upwardly forming the stitch 32 on the underside of thematerial, as shown by FIGURE 13, and now the elements are in position toproduce a new forward movement of the material,

so as to return to the position represented by FIGURE 4,.

after having obtained two new stitches, one on top and the otherunderneath.

In FIGURES 14, 15 and 16 there is shown one form of means for actuatingthe forks 27 and 28. In these figures the forks 27 and 28 are indicatedat 58 and 59.

The pincers are formed by two arms 50, 51, articulated on a common shaft52 which is mounted on the lever 53, 54 that is rotatively mounted onthe shaft 55 fixed to the framework of the machine.

The pincer arms 50, 51 are prolonged at the rear side of the shaft 52and cooperate with a spring 56 which tends to keep them together, andwith an eccentric 57 on shaft 57' that separates them. It is understoodthat the extremities 58, 59 which are the parts of the arms 50, 51 thatmake contact, form superimposed forks, the space between prongs beingsufiicient for the needle to pass.

The lower extremity 54 of the lever 53, 54 cooperates with the eccentric60 on shaft 60' and with the spring 61 which holds lever 54- againstsaid eccentric.

The lever 53, 54 is oscillated by the eccentric 60 in consequence ofwhich the forks 58, 59 draw near to or are separated from the plane inwhich the needle 62 moves.

The eccentric 57 opens and closes the pincers and this eccentric canserve also as a guide for the advance and return movements of thepincers.

In FIGURES 14, 15 and 16, the needle eye opens on the front side of thepincers.

In FIGURE 14 the pincers are at rest in open position, and then first ofall the eccentric 60 is actuated to allow the pincers to embrace theneedle and the thread, while the eccentric 57 is actuated to allow thespring 56 to close the pincers. The thread is held fixed at two pointsat both sides of the needle and very close together (FIGURE 15).

Immediately afterwards (FIGURE 16), the pincers that hold the threadfixed are retired while the needle returns to its upper position.

These are the essential movements. After the position (FIGURE 16), thesame positions are repeated but in inverse order, that is to say, thenext position is (FIGURE 15) in which position the needle is againthrust through the fabric, the pincers advance and release the threadand then return is made to the position of FIGURE 14 in which positionthe open pincers have' been returned to their rest position and theneedle with the thread moves to the upper positionto initiate the cycleonce again.

In FIGURE 17 the means for operating the various elements constitutingthe invention are shown diagrammatically. Cams 65a and 65b are fixed tothe shaft 65' rotated by the main shaft of the machine. The cam 65aoperates the shaft 10 and the spring 66 fixed at one end to a stationarypart of the machine holds the shaft 10 in contact with such cam whilethe cam 65b operates the shaft 15 which is maintained in contact withthe cam 65b by the spring 67.

A bevel gear transmission indicated generally at 69 is driven by theshaft 69' to rotate 68' upon which the cam 68 is mounted whichcooperates with the presser foot 23 in order to operate the same.

With regard to the operation of the clamps 58 and 59, this isaccomplished as above described by the cam 57 upon the shaft 57' and thecam 60 upon the shaft 60. The hook member 30 is operated in propersequence by the cam '70 fixed upon the shaft 70' and is maintained incontact therewith by the spring 71. All of the shafts 65, 69', 57', 60and 70 are operated from the main shaft of the sewing machine inproperly timed sequence to accomplish the operations above described.

This process and apparatus produces a stitching system similar to handwork, but, although because of its complex movements it cannot reach thespeed of ordinary seams, given its special application, this method andapparatus represents a considerable advantage, owing to its rapidity,uniformity and perfect finish.

I claim:

1. A sewing system for alternate stitchings on both sides of a materialcomprising threading a needle with a single thread, piercing saidmaterial with said threaded needle, withdrawing said threaded needlepart way from said material so that the two parallel portions of thethread retained by the friction with the material form two lateral loopsat both sides of the needles eye below said material, then unthreadingthe needle, then withdrawing the loops away from the needle, thenwithdrawing from the material the empty needle and pulling out the freeend of the thread, drawing it through the stitch made until the endcomes loose thereby forming stitch from one thread, moving the materialforward, then again piercing the material with the empty needle for thenext stitch, then threading the needle on the underside of the materialwith just the portion of the loose thread corresponding to the precedentloops, and finally drawing up the needle to the top, pulling up the loopthus forming two stitches respectively on both sides of the material.

2. A sewing system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said displacement ofthe two lateral loops formed at the bottom of the material isaccomplished by clamping the thread by means of pincers at both sides ofthe needle and holding said thread during the subsequent steps ofunthreading and threading of the needle.

3. A mechanism for threading and unthreading the needles of sewingmachines comprising a needle having two semi-circular cross sectionalshafts in parallel juxtaposition, a supporting sleeve common to said twoshafts in which said shafts are longitudinally slidably guided, one ofsaid shafts having a sharp point and an open eye on one of its sides,the other shaft having a tongue to cover said open eye to effect theopening and closing of said eye in combination with amember located atthe underside of a material being sewed, said last named membercomprising movable pincers having two jaws with forked ends to clamp theneedle thread temporarily at points on each side of said eye, the threadbeing held by said pincers during the unthreading and subsequentthreading of the needle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/54 Swingle112-l70 10/14 Lipe 1l2223 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

1. A SEWING SYSTEM FOR ALTERNATE STITCHINGS ON BOTH SIDES OF A MATERIALCOMPRISING THREADING A NEEDLE WITH A SINGLE THREAD, PIERCING SAIDMATERIAL WITH SAID THREADED NEEDLE, WITHDRAWING SAID THREADED NEEDLEPART WAY FROM SAID MATERIAL SO THAT THE TWO PARALLEL PORTIONS OF THETHREAD RETAINED BY THE FRICTION WITH THE MATERIAL FORM TWO LATERAL LOOPSAT BOTH SIDES OF THE NEEDLE''S EYE BELOW SAID MATERIAL, THEN UNTHREADINGTHE NEEDLE, THEN WITHDRAWING THE LOOPS AWAY FROM THE NEEDLE, THENWITHDRAWING FROM THE MATERIAL THE EMPTY NEEDLE AND PULLING OUT THE FREEEND OF THE THREAD, DRAWING IT THROUGH THE STITCH MADE UNTIL THE ENDCOMES LOOSE THEREBY FORMING STITCH FROM ONE THREAD, MOVING THE MATERIALFORWARD, THEN AGAIN PIERCING THE MATERIAL WITH THE EMPTY NEEDLE FOR THENEXT STITCH, THEN THREADING THE NEEDLE ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE MATERIALWITH JUST THE PORTION OF THE LOOSE THREAD CORRESPONDING TO THE PRECEDENTLOOPS, AND FINALLY DRAWING UP THE NEEDLE TO THE TOP, PULLING UP THE LOOPTHUS FORMING TWO STITCHES RESPECTIVELY ON BOTH SIDES OF THE MATERIAL.